Bloody crisis is said to be currently looming in oil rich Uzere community, Isoko South local government area of Delta state over 20 million naira oil money released to the community by the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, (NPDC), operators of the Oil Mining Lease, OML 28.
Our correspondent gathered that the money which was released to the community by the oil company as skill acquisition fund, have been allegedly hijacked by leadership of the community while the youths and other organs of the community were not carried along, thereby creating a serious tension and looming bloody crisis in the area.
Following the tension and looming bloody crisis in the community, the Isoko South Security Council on Friday, ordered the immediate suspension of the community’s 2019 annual mid-year conference slated for last week to avoid any form of breakdown of law and order.
In a statement signed by the secretary, Isoko South local government council, Dennis Obrogo, obtained by our correspondent said the council’s decision was reached at an emergency security meeting to discuss the heightening tension in the community “over the 20 million naira skill acquisition fund from the Nigeria Petrolum Development Company, NPDC, Operators of the Oil Mining Lease, OML 28.”
According to the statement, government resolution to put the conference on hold was based on the advice of security agencies, adding that “The Isoko South local government will summon in a few days an enlarge meeting of the various segments of leadership of Uzere community, stakeholders and leaders of thought of Uzere extraction to resolve the issues generated by the skill acquisition fund.
“Government therefore appeal for calm as anybody or group of persons found formenting crisis in Uzere over the said fund will be made to face the full weight of the law.”, the statement warned.
It was gathered that the immediate past and current executive of the town union have penchants for embezzlement, hijack and diversion of public funds, especially money released to the community by oil companies.
Our correspondent learned that the Community’s president general, Felix Ewenede, was few weeks ago arrested and granted bail at the Oleh police station and has been summoned to appear before the state commissioner of police this week in Asaba.
It was reliably gathered that the conference delegates who had arrived the community for the suspended annual midyear conference, summoned the President General of the community with a matching order to release to the youths the N20 million meant for the skill acquisition.
Speaking on the issue, the youth President of the community, Frank Adaka, confirmed the looming bloody crisis in the community which he attributed to the diversion of N20 million released by NPDC for skill acquisition for the youths by the community’s President General.
“Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, (NPDC), operators of the Oil Mining Lease, OML 28, gave the community youths N20 million for skill acquisition but the community President General in connivance with one Colombus Oguname, former President General of the community diverted the money into their private bank account and embezzled it. Following the tension and looming crisis in the community the local government council suspended our annual midyear conference.
“Sometime ago, the sum of N120 million was paid by an oil company into the community’s account and the President General working in connivance with some corrupt and fraudulent individuals diverted and embezzled over fifty percent of the money. These criminals in our community must be brought to book and we call on the state government and security agencies to come to our aid.”, Adaka stated.
Meanwhile, when contacted on the issue, the President General of the Uzere community, Felix Ewenede, denied all the allegations leveled against him saying some disgruntled youths in the community allegedly been sponsored by the youths president and his executive are those beating the drum of crisis over the N20 million released to the community by NPDC.
“Because of the tension in the community over the N20 million, the local government security council suspended the community annual midyear conference. I was also detained by the police at the Oleh station. I want to let you know too that there is no where in the constitution of the community that empowers the youths to handle money.
“To avoid trouble we decided to bring in contractor who will handled the skill acquisition but the youths insisted that the money is for them and must be handed over to them to do their own things. As a community we are coming out with a position paper on the issue which will be sent to the state commissioner of police and others.”, Ewenede said.
